Udi

Print

A language of Azerbaijan

ISO 639-3
udi
Alternate Names
Udin, Uti
Population

3,800 in Azerbaijan (2009 census). Population total all countries: 6,590.

Location

Oghuz town, Qabala, Niç (about 4,000 speakers), and Mirzabeyli villages. Also in Georgia, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing). De facto language of provincial identity in Qabala District.

Classification
North Caucasian, East Caucasian, Lezgic, Udi
Dialects

Nidzh (Nic, Nij, Nizh), Oghuz (Vartashen), Oktomberi. Oktomberi dialect more divergent from Nic Udi than from Oghuz Udi. One of the most divergent Lezgian (Lezgic) languages.

Language Use

Home, community. Used by 30%–50% of children. Neutral attitudes. Udi not seen as prestigious as Russian [rus]. Also use Russian [rus] and sometimes Azerbaijani literary languages; in some areas they also use Armenian [hye] or Georgian [kat]. In Nic children attend Russian language schools.

Language Development
Discussing how their language can be saved. Taught in primary schools, through 4th grade. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1902.
Writing
Cyrillic script.
Other Comments

Nic dialect is vigorous (6a). Oghuz dialect is moribund (8a), as only about 100 persons remain in Oghuz. Christian.